What did Andre Smith talk about at the NFL Combine today?

If you're one of those who is sick of reading about former Alabama left tackle Andre Smith, well, you've come to the wrong place. Ya know, respectfully. The Birmingham native and Outland Trophy winner is vying for a top 5 selection in the draft, and we think he's pretty interesting ... for a few other reasons, too.

So let's find out some more stuff about Dre. For instance, along with weighing in, he spoke to NFL reporters at the Combine today. Wondering what he said? I just happen to have a transcript right here.

Here is an edited version of Smith's media appearance:

Question: One sack. Who was it?

Andre Smith: Defensive end slash linebacker from the University of Kentucky. No. 51.

Q: You don't remember his name?

Smith: No. Just remember his number. (It was Johnny Williams)

Q: How did he beat you?

Smith: Coach (Joe) Pendry always told me, 'Look for the game, let the game come to you.' I was looking for the game, looking inside and he got past me and I couldn't do anything about it.

Q: Weight?

Smith: 332.

Q: Reach?

Smith: I'm right at 36 inches.

Q: Height?

Smith: 6-4

Q: Is 332 good?

Smith: Better than being 345.

Q: What is your playing weight?

Smith: 330

Q: There were reports you were up to 380.

Smith: No sir. The highest I've ever been is 345 ... I never had a problem at the university as far as having a weight issue.

Q: How did you get your weight down?

Smith: Changing my eating habits, being disciplined, not eating after certain times of night.

Q: What do you see in the quality of tackles in this year's draft?

Smith: All of us bring something good to the table. Every one of us do something really well. We like to compete. We work hard with our teammates on the offensive line. We have to play together on the offensive line. We play good in the system we're in.

Q: Why should you be the first tackle taken?

Smith: Why should I be the first tackle taken? Hmmm. Just my hard work on the field. The way I go out and compete every play, try to dominate my opponent every single play.

Q: What of talk that you're more RT?

Smith: You're going to get criticized regardless of how well you do in the season. As far as right tackle or left tackle, it doesn't matter. I want to play.

Q: Is it good to be versatile?

Smith: It's good to be versatile. You're more important to your team. When you're traveling, they take seven offensive linemen or six at any point of time. To be able to play either one is pretty good.

Q: Would you embrace being part of the solution with the Lions?

Smith: I would look forward to going there and competing, have a great atmosphere in the locker room, not be a cancer to the team, go in and work hard, learn a system get to know the players.

Q: Have a conversation with Jim Schwartz?

Smith: I haven't.

Q: When you've heard Detroit Lions, what comes to mind?

Smith: What do I think about Detroit? Great organization. They had a tough season this past year, but there is always time for redemption.

Q: Who have you spoken to already?

Smith: Redskins, Panthers, Saints, Jets and a few other teams.,

Q: Will you work out here?

Smith: Undecided.

Q: When will you decide?

Smith: Probably tomorrow.

Q: What will factor in that decision?

Smith: Talking to my agent and go from there.

Q: Who is your agent?

Smith: Alvin Keels.

Q: When your pro day?

Smith: March 11.

Q: Will you definitely work out there?

Smith: Yeah, I will.

Q: What do you need to work on most?

Smith: As on off linemen or a player in general you can never bee perfect. There is always room for improvement. Every day I try to work on something different to get better.

Q: What is your perspective of yourself?

Smith: My perspective of me is I'm a hard worker. I can work on areas of my game. There is always room for improvement. I have power along with technique.

Q: Of other top tackles work out here will that be a factor deciding if you do?

Smith: No, it won't.

Q: Did you get to see Jake Long play this year? Did you learn anything?

Smith: One of my teammates from college competed against Jake Long in a minicamp and told me how really good he is. He told me to keep the hard work and I'd be where he is.

Q: Who was the teammate?

Smith: I forgot his name that fast.

Q: Why wouldn't you work out?

Smith: I just want to get my numbers lower than what they are. I was pretty consistent in certain areas and not as consistent in others. I just want to give the greatest performance I possibly can.

Q: Describe yourself as pass blocker?

Smith: I'm not a waist bender. I bend my knees. I have a pretty good kick slide. Probably the only thing I need to work on is making sure I stay inside and out instead of out leveraging the defensive end and letting him beat me inside.

Q: It's a tightly bunched group of OTs in this draft.

Smith: It's good to have great competition. It's only going to bring the best out of you.

Q: Is it important to be the first tackle taken?

Smith: It's very important to me. I wouldn't want anything else but to have the best opportunity for myself. But I just have to compete.

Q: What do you have to prove to be taken by lions?

Smith: That I've been working and that the weight issue is not a problem.

Q: Did you follow Willie Anderson?

Smith: No. I followed Chris Samuels a lot.

Q: The Lions have talked about getting a deal done with the No.1 pick soon? Would you be open to getting a deal done?

Smith: I believe so.

Q: What do you tell teams about your suspension for the reported improper dealings with an agent prior to the Sugar Bowl?

Smith: It was just a bad decision. I went and told Coach Saban about it and he went and told compliance and felt the best thing to protect the team and the university was to suspend me for the game.

Q: You said you want to get your numbers down. Why are you not fully prepared?

Smith: I just picked my agent like two weeks ago. I haven't been down to API (Athletic Performance Institute) for three weeks, maybe four weeks.

Q: What was the infraction?

Smith: Just a bad decision. It had nothing to do with an agent, just a bad decisions.

Q: Not playing in that game ...

Smith: I was hurt. I shed my tears. I had an opportunity to talk to my teammates. They understood. Even after that they say I'm a great guy. They love being around me.

Q: How good an NFL quarterback do you think Tim Tebow is going to be?

Smith: Tim Tebow can be as good as he wants to be. He's a competitor. There is no perfect player. I'm sure this offseason he's going to work on something to make him better for the upcoming fall.

Q: Why did you follow Samuels?

Smith: I didn't follow him until I got into college because I grew up a Florida State fan. He was the best lineman in Alabama history. I wanted to mimic his game and try to have the same accomplishments he did.

Q: Do you measure yourself against other top tackles in this draft?

Smith: I try to pick up certain things they may do as far as how they work out or something they may do different and try to see if it works for me, or if it's a hindrance to me. Eugene, Jason and Mike, I love all of them.

Q: Do you know them?

Smith: I roomed with Michael at Playboy All-American.

Q: Scouts say once you get your hands on a player it's over. Where does that come from?

Smith: My father he always told me be the nicest player off the field but on the field be the meanest, most tenacious type guy that you ever could possibly be.

Q: Do you take pride in that attitude?

Smith: Have to as an offensive lineman. It's a pride thing to go out there and dominate a guy for four quarters -- set the tone from the first play, let him know how it's going to be the remainder of the game.

Q: There's a story you asked your father what the highest-paid position in the NFL was and he told you left tackle.

Smith: I asked my dad when I was in the sixth grade, going into seventh -- that's when I really started playing football -- what was the highest-paid position. He told me. The ball got to rolling after that.

Q: You just happened to be 6-4, 330 after that, so it worked out.

Smith: It did.

Q: If a team has a left tackle and changes you to right?

Smith: If I have to play right, it's going to take time for me to learn technique as a right tackle. But I think I can play it. The run blocking will come naturally because I love run blocking.

Q: Do you think it's wide open as to who the first pick will be?

Smith: I think so. It's at the end of April. We have two months. Hard work will pay off.

Q: That tackles have been taken high recently, does that help your cause?

Smith: I think so. Joe Thomas and Robert Gallery and Jake last year, everybody, it helps the situation to have an opportunity to go No. 1 or No. 2 overall.

Q: How would you like to run block for Stephen Jackson?

Smith: I would love to. Run blocking, there is nothing better than that. You get to come off the ball and explode on someone, where in pass blocking you have to wait for someone to make a move or anticipate.